Safeguarding Check Up 2018 Introduction - Newcastle CVS
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Safeguarding Check Up
2018
Introduction
It’s time to carry out your safeguarding organisational check-up, to be ready as funding
opportunities come around.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding means:
Everyone has a right to feel safe and to live without fear of abuse or exploitation.
Your group must look out for the safety and wellbeing of people it comes into
contact with.
No one should be harmed by coming into contact with your group.
Your group has a duty of care and must act on concerns and suspicions about
abuse.
People who are vulnerable are at a higher risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. This
includes adults with care and support needs, children (who are under 18), young adults
under 25 and asylum seekers and refugees. Other people may also be vulnerable.
Safeguarding is a key governance priority for all trustees of all charities, whoever they
work with. The Charity Commission identifies safeguarding as one of three key risks for
charities. (The other two are fraud or financial mismanagement, and funding terrorism).
When activities are used by adults with care and support needs (vulnerable adults) or by
children, young people, and families, there are extra responsibilities to keep people safe
from harm. You need specific up to date policies and procedures for safeguarding.
Why do we need a safeguarding policy and safeguarding procedures?
To prevent abuse People who abuse and exploit will target vulnerability, of people and of
situations. Groups run with few formal and transparent processes, or always tackling crisis,
or with many changes in members, are potential targets for abusers. Good practice will
protect the people you have contact with, protect your workers, volunteers and
management committee, and protect the good reputation of your group. The public
expects standards to be high in charities and voluntary and community organisations.
You have a duty of care to make sure no one is harmed through contact with your group
and its activities. Proper processes will not guarantee that no one will be harmed through
your group but policies, procedures, good practice, and showing they are in place and
followed will show your group has complied with its duty of care.
Funders ask for it Many funders such as local authorities, Community Foundations, Big
Lottery Fund, and BBC Children in Need may check your safeguarding policies and
procedures, and ask about recent safeguarding training during the application process.Charity Trustees’ responsibilities The Charity Commission is clear that all of the
trustees of a charity, including groups that are too small to be registered charities, hold
responsibility for safeguarding, and must proactively take steps to prevent people from
being harmed through contact with their organisation.
It’s the law see below
It’s the law:
Working Together to Safeguard Children
All organisations in contact with children and families must follow the government statutory
guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ which was updated in July 2018. This
includes voluntary and community organisations, faith groups, registered social landlords,
charities, CIO’s, CICs, and the private sector. The checks below will help you to comply
with your organisational responsibilities in ‘Working Together’.
The Care Act 2014
All organisations working with adults at risk of abuse and neglect must follow the
government Care and Support Statutory Guidance which relates to the Care Act 2014 Part
1, which was implemented in April 2015.
The Mental Capacity Act 2015
Applies to everyone caring and supporting children aged 16 plus and adults who are
unable to make some decisions for themselves. The code guides people on how to assess
capacity in a time and decision specific way; and make decisions in a person’s best
interest.
Charity Trustees’ responsibilities
The Charity Commission is very clear that all of the trustees of a charity, including
management committee members of groups that are too small to be registered, hold
responsibility for safeguarding. Trustees must proactively take steps to prevent all people,
both children and adults, being harmed through contact with their organisation.
What are Policies and Procedures?
A safeguarding policy statement is about how the organisation intends to keep the
people it comes into contact with safe, usually written on one side of paper.
Written safeguarding procedures should explain how the policy is put into practice,
tailored to your group’s activities. It should include what abuse is, how to recognise the
signs, explain how to respond to abuse, what to do if there are allegations against
volunteers and workers, and set out how your group will develop its safeguarding skills.
Good practice will protect the people you have contact with, protect your staff,
volunteers and management committee, and protect the good reputation of your
organisation.
Many organisations have separate safeguarding children and safeguarding adults
policies and procedures; some have a single policy with procedures for both children
and adults. While the responsibility is similar, the underpinning legislation is different.
Safeguarding Check Up 2018 updated Newcastle CVS October 2018
2Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children: 10 checks
Here are 10 checks to make, and yes is the right answer! Below the questions there are
resources and links to help you find out more.
1 Does a named trustee, management committee member, or director take active
responsibility for your safeguarding arrangements?
2 Is being your organisation’s ‘named’ or ‘designated’ safeguarding person (who is
probably different to the person above) mentioned in their role or job description?
3 Do you have up-to-date contact details in your procedures for who to talk to about
any concerns for children and for adults at risk? Are these contact details within
your group, the local authority, and the police either on display or easily accessible
to all workers, volunteers, trustees, management committee members and
directors? Newcastle and Gateshead local authority and police contact details are
below.
4 Safer staff, volunteers, trustees and directors: are there clear processes to check
volunteers, workers, and your governing body members to the appropriate level and
to ask for references? Do you ask for DBS checks for eligible people, before they
start, and at least every three years? Do you ask management committee members
and the senior manager to sign an annual declaration that they are not disqualified?
And do you give safeguarding induction and training, regular supervision, and
ongoing support for staff, trustees and volunteers?
5 Are staff clear about your processes for sharing information so that they are not left
on their own with dilemmas, especially in family support, youth work, community
development, or in prevention work, which may be less clear than in high risk
safeguarding situations? Do they know that Data Protection rules and GDPR does
not prevent sharing information about people at risk?
6 Is it clear who is responsible for all aspects of your activities and the services you
offer to children, families, and adults at risk?
7 If you work with children and families, does your organisation have a culture of
listening to children and taking account of what they say, both in work with
individuals and when developing new projects? For work with adults, do you use the
Making Safeguarding Personal approach in capturing the voice and support for the
adult?
8 Whistleblowing: is it easy for people to routinely raise concerns in your
organisation? Do they?
9 If you ask for DBS checks (Disclosure and Barring Service, used to be CRB checks)
do you have a Recruitment of Ex-offenders Policy?
10 Is there an annual review date on your policy and procedures? And were they
reviewed in the last 12 months?
Safeguarding Check Up 2018 updated Newcastle CVS October 2018
3Raising safeguarding concerns: go-to people
The contact details in your procedures should be easily available to all trustees or
management committee members, directors, workers, and volunteers; they include:
Your organisation’s ‘named’ or ‘designated’ person for safeguarding and their up-to-
date contact details
Your organisation’s deputy ‘named’ person with their up-to-date contact details
The day and night safeguarding contact details for the local authorities where your
group is active
Northumbria Police Safeguarding Department contact details
The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) contact details
NSPCC helpline number
Newcastle and Gateshead contacts to go in your procedures
Children up to the age of 18
Newcastle City Council Children's Social Care Initial Response Team for advice during
office hours. Call 0191 277 2500
Newcastle Emergency Duty Team outside of office hours. Call 0191 278 7878
Online referral forms for professionals and for the public: https://www.nscb.org.uk/
Gateshead Borough Council Children’s Services for advice about referrals during office
hours. Call 0191 433 2653
Gateshead Emergency Duty Team outside of office hours. Call 0191 477 0844
Gateshead online referral form for professionals:
https://www.gatesheadsafeguarding.org.uk/article/9298
The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) should be contacted within one working
day if there are allegations that a member of staff or a volunteer has significantly harmed a
child or is likely to harm a child.
The Newcastle LADO is Melanie Scott. Call 0191 277 4636 Fax. 0191 211 6744
Email melanie.scott@newcastle.gov.uk
The Gateshead LADO is Nicholas Leon. Call 0191 433 8021
Email nicholasleon@gateshead.gov.uk
NSPCC 24 hour helpline (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), offers
advice including in some Asian languages. Call 0808 800 5000
Adults 18 years and over
Newcastle Referrals
Newcastle City Council Community Health and Social Care Direct during office hours
Call 0191 278 8377
Newcastle City Council Out of Hours Service for emergency social care needs
Call 0191 278 7878
Safeguarding Check Up 2018 updated Newcastle CVS October 2018
4Newcastle advice (not referrals) for practitioners Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Unit
Advice line Monday to Friday 10.00am to 4.00pm. Call 0101 278 8156
Gateshead Borough Council: Adult Social Care Direct to report your concern, 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. Call 0191 433 7033
Adults and children
If you think a crime against a child, young person, or adult at risk has been committed but
they are not in immediate danger, or you want advice if you are worried about sexual
exploitation, call 101 and ask for the Northumbria Police Safeguarding Department.
If you remove a worker or volunteer from working in a ‘regulated activity’ with children or
adults at risk (or would have if they had not left first) because they pose a risk of harm to a
child or vulnerable adult, you must make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service
(DBS). Visit www.gov.uk/government/collections/dbs-referrals-guidance--2
Free Safeguarding Training
To help you decide who needs which training, visit
https://www.nscb.org.uk/training-courses/which-safeguarding-childrens-course-appropriate
Free Newcastle Safeguarding Multiagency Training Programme
Face to face and online training on safeguarding adults and safeguarding children
is free for voluntary organisations’ staff, volunteers, and management committees based in
Newcastle. The Joint Directory is regularly updated.
Visit www.nscb.org.uk/training-courses
Free Safe Newcastle Domestic Violence and Abuse Multi-Agency Training
including Children Living with Domestic Violence and Abuse, and Teenage Relationship
Abuse. All of the courses are free to attend for anyone who lives or works in Newcastle.
Practitioners from outside Newcastle are welcome to attend for a small charge. More
information on charges, how to register and booking terms and conditions can be found in
the programme.
Free Gateshead Safeguarding and Community Safety Training
Gateshead Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB), Safeguarding Adult Board (SAB),
and Community Safety Board (CSB) multi agency training (includes domestic abuse
training). Free for voluntary organisations’ staff and volunteers who work or volunteer in
Gateshead. Please note new link to the training page, which is regularly updated.
https://www.gatesheadsafeguarding.org.uk/article/9209/Training-
Resources
Newcastle CVS free information sheets:
Safeguarding Children
Safeguarding Adults
Safeguarding and Data – what you need to know
Safeguarding Check Up 2018 updated Newcastle CVS October 2018
5 DBS checks (used to be CRB checks), includes what to do if there is something on
a DBS check
Automatic Disqualification Rules
Safeguarding and social media
Visit www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk/publications-and-resources/safeguarding
NSPCC Learning
Free NSPCC resources for voluntary and community sector groups and practitioners.
Are they safe? is a guide for leaders especially of small groups; includes running safe
events and a wall chart
safeguarding children in faith communities: guidance on safeguarding within the
beliefs, teachings and cultural context of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam,
Judaism, Sikhism, and interfaith.
safeguarding children in BME communities
safeguarding D/deaf and disabled children
safeguarding for performing arts
online safety and social media
radicalisation
writing a safeguarding policy
Visit https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/for-voluntary-and-
community-groups/
Safeguarding adults policy and procedure template written for voluntary organisations.
Under ‘P’ on www.newcastle.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/safeguarding-and-
abuse/safeguarding-information-professionals/safeguarding-adults-practice-guidance
Find out if you can check someone’s criminal record
Visit www.gov.uk/find-out-dbs-check
Recruitment of ex-offenders sample policy All employers must treat Disclosure and
Barring Service (DBS) check applicants who have a criminal record fairly
www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-sample-policy-on-the-recruitment-of-ex-
offenders
Charity Commission guidance on safeguarding duties for charity trustees
The Charity Commission has updated its guidance for trustees on safeguarding, and says
“You must take reasonable steps to protect those connected with your charity from harm.
This includes: people who benefit from your charity’s work; staff; volunteers; other people
connected to its activities. This should be a key governance priority for all charities,
regardless of size, type or income. This does not just apply to those working with children
or people who are traditionally considered to be at risk”.
The update includes a poster of ten safeguarding actions for trustee boards
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-duties-for-charity-trustees
Spot the signs of abuse
Children www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/signs-symptoms-effects/
Adults www.scie.org.uk/publications/ataglance/69-adults-safeguarding-types-and-
indicators-of-abuse.asp
Safeguarding Check Up 2018 updated Newcastle CVS October 2018
6Multi-agency procedures If you need more in-depth procedures for your organisation,
they will be available on your local Safeguarding Adults Board or Local Safeguarding
Children Board website. These are the links to the Newcastle and Gateshead procedures:
Newcastle Safeguarding Children Board online procedures
Visit http://newcastlescb.proceduresonline.com/
Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board's multi-agency safeguarding adults policy
and procedures.
Gateshead Safeguarding Children Board online procedures
http://www.proceduresonline.com/nesubregion/
Gateshead Safeguarding Adults Board multi-agency policies and procedures
https://www.gatesheadsafeguarding.org.uk/article/9286/Multi-agency-policies-and-
procedures
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 The government statutory guidance.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
Care and Support Statutory Guidance The Care Act 2014, chapter 14 for safeguarding
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-
support-statutory-guidance
Mental Capacity Act 2005 https://www.scie.org.uk/mca/introduction/mental-capacity-act-
2005-at-a-glance
Safeguarding children practitioners information sharing advice Government advice
on information sharing for safeguarding practitioners, updated with the Data Protection Act
2018. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-practitioners-information-
sharing-advice
Keep yourself up to date. Sign up to Newcastle CVS e-inform, the fortnightly bulletin
which includes safeguarding information on www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk
You are welcome to copy any of this information for use in the promotion of voluntary and
community activity; please credit Newcastle CVS. We aim to ensure the information is
correct and up to date but do not accept liability for any mistakes. We welcome your
feedback, do contact pam.jobbins@cvsnewcastle.org.uk or call 0191 235 7017
Safeguarding Check Up 2018 updated Newcastle CVS October 2018
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